Having worked with horses I would just like to explain this for those who don't already know...
Assessing the health of a new horse can often include checking the mouth for various signs of age or illness. If the horse is a gift, most would consider it bad manners to check the mouth while the giver is present, because if you find problems, they may feel you take the gift for granted...
This can also be a slap in the face between horse owners because if the animal is in truly bad condition... Basicly, the first owner is pawning off the responsibility of repairing/disposing of the animal...
Someone once told my husband "Girl's really like gifts!"
Nate tried to explain that I had already told him early in our relationship, "I don't want STUFF", especially if it breaks easy, lasts 1 minute or doesn't have usefulness.
"She's just saying that..."this someone argued.
For my birthday, christmas, any opportunity that calls for a gift I usually specify clearly in advance what I want, usually something LONG LASTING and pretty much not just for myself... An ipod touch, because I can use it to school J, the next baby in our family, the movie or music we all want to watch or listen to repeatedly as a family, the product that comes with a lifetime warranty, if it ever even breaks in the first place... If you ask me what I need, I WILL TELL YOU.
I have a gift and a curse of being a pretty honest person... My husband will tell you, I can hardly keep anything from him and he has never heard me lie to anyone else.
Because of this I really have a hard time being a gracious receiver of gifts. When I show too much enthusiasm I'm concerned it will feed into more stuff being given and I don't want to offend others when I give something away again the next day or never use it... Even now I am struggling not to list the things that have been gifted that I am trying to figure out what to do with...
So it really frustrates me! I usually explain in advance that I have enough of certain things, that I only NEED specific items. I even posted on a picture on Facebook recently and someone had the nerve to argue that what I have is not adequate. That is a personal opinion that could have been kept to one's self. I'm trying really hard to be polite, but I have just about HAD IT!
HOW MUCH MORE SPECIFIC DO I NEED TO BE? It is offensive to me! Like you are calling me a liar, saying I haven't been honest about what I want and need. I'm telling you, don't waste your money! If you don't want to take my advice, don't be offended when I start handing the gift back to you, because you have officially been told! I'm done being polite, trying to be enthusiastic as you knowingly give me something I don't need, I will ask you to be responsible for finding another home for the item.
If I said I needed a horses, or even just had space for the creature, and someone gifted one to me, please understand, I would be excited and would not dare to look it in the mouth in the giver's presence. But if I didn't ask for it, and especially couldn't provide for it, I would ask the giver to please find a more deserving home for the animal.
No comments:
Post a Comment